Mayweather to smash purse record with $41.5 million guaranteed

By Mike Singer | CBSSports.com

September 5, 2013 10:42 AM ET

Floyd Mayweather will earn the largest payday of his career on Sept. 14. (USATSI)

Floyd Mayweather, already the highest paid athlete in sports, will rake in a reported $41.5 million guaranteed for his bout against Mexico's Canelo Alvarez on Sept. 14, making it the largest purse of all-time.

Mayweather held the previous record as well, earning $32 million for his bouts against Miguel Cotto in 2012 and against Robert Guerrero earlier this year.

The exact number was disclosed by Mayweather's adviser, Leonard Ellerbe.

“Floyd is the biggest star in the sport and the best in the sport, and when you're the biggest star, and you are the best, you get paid the most money,” Ellerbe said to ESPN.com. “So this comes along with the territory.”

Mayweather (44-0) could potentially see even more than the initial $41.5 million, due to the PPV numbers. The TV buys expected against Canelo (42-0-1) could challenge the all-time record of 2.44 million, set by Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya back in 2007.

“It's [truly a] blessing to be in that position to make that kind of money,” Ellerbe said. “Floyd has worked hard to put himself in this position. He deserves every penny of it. He's the only athlete that has dominated his sport for the last 15 years.”

The bout is the second of a 30-month, six-fight contract that Mayweather signed with Showtime-CBS. This is significant, because, as Forbes noted, there's one other massive sports TV audience expected for Sept. 14; Defending champion Alabama against reigning Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel on CBS.

“The game is being broadcast on Showtime parent CBS, which will promote that evening's fight to a massive, sports hungry audience,” Forbes wrote.

As if Mayweather needed another factor in his favor, “Money” is set to receive the biggest payday of his career.